Since the day you kissed me after the races. Though she hadn’t really made up her mind to take the final plunge until the day Titus had proposed to her. That sweet awkward boy with his unexpectedly steady eyes, saying something about wanting the one with all the wrong faults… it had resonated, somehow. And he complained that he could never think of anything original to say!

But Sabina decided to keep that particular thought to herself and ducked back to Vix’s first question. “A very wise man once told me something about trouble.” She took his hand and plaited her narrow fingers with his big rough ones. “You get in trouble no matter what you do, so you might as well do everything you can.”

“Who said that?” Vix cocked his head down at her.

“Not Plato, that’s for sure.”

“Sounds like something I’d say.”

“You did say it, Vercingetorix. Years ago, when we met the first time.” She twined her arms about his neck. “I’ve never forgotten.”

He shouted laughter then and grabbed her up so tight she could hardly breathe. “At least you know wisdom when you hear it.”

“Blow out the lamp,” Sabina giggled when she got her breath back. “And let me try something—bear in mind, I’ve only seen this done on a flute…”

VIX

Sabina. Vibia Sabina.

A pretty name. But I still had trouble using it, no matter how many times she slipped through my door, no matter how many times I held her warm and naked against me. Sabina. Even in the darkness of the night it still rolled awkwardly off my tongue.

And Hell’s gates, there were a lot of nights.